February 17, 2010

Poll Shows Americans of Both Parties Oppose Supreme Court Ruling

In a just-released poll, Americans of both parties overwhelmingly oppose a Supreme Court ruling allowing corporations and unions unlimited spending on political campaigns. Furthermore, they favor new limits on such spending according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

In a recent post, I argued from two distinct perspectives that the Court had seriously blundered.

The action showed a monstrous lack of awareness of the political facts on the ground, and the role of special-interest groups.

The action showed an originalist or fundamentalistic handling of the Constitution that is not only asinine, but profoundly lacking in perspective.

What was striking to me about the poll was the level of rejection. Eight in 10 poll respondents opposed the high court's decision "to allow unfettered corporate political spending. Furthermore, the poll revealed little difference of opinoin among Democrats, Republicans and Independents.

What does this mean? The Post suggested that it implied a strong reservoir of bipartisan support on the issue for President Obama and Democratic legislators who are crafting legislation to limit the effects of teh ruling.

I am inherently cautious about drawing much from polling results until I know the size of the sampling, something about the actual form of the questions, who commissioned the poll, and the size of the results. There was enough information available in the article on all of those subjects, except the actual form of the questions. But when ABC and the Post commission the poll, that's a fairly trustworthy sponsor.

It will be very interesting to see the response to the poll and whether previous supporters of the decision back off from their support. What do you think?

Comments

Poll Shows Americans of Both Parties Oppose Supreme Court Ruling

In a just-released poll, Americans of both parties overwhelmingly oppose a Supreme Court ruling allowing corporations and unions unlimited spending on political campaigns. Furthermore, they favor new limits on such spending according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

In a recent post, I argued from two distinct perspectives that the Court had seriously blundered.

The action showed a monstrous lack of awareness of the political facts on the ground, and the role of special-interest groups.

The action showed an originalist or fundamentalistic handling of the Constitution that is not only asinine, but profoundly lacking in perspective.

What was striking to me about the poll was the level of rejection. Eight in 10 poll respondents opposed the high court's decision "to allow unfettered corporate political spending. Furthermore, the poll revealed little difference of opinoin among Democrats, Republicans and Independents.

What does this mean? The Post suggested that it implied a strong reservoir of bipartisan support on the issue for President Obama and Democratic legislators who are crafting legislation to limit the effects of teh ruling.

I am inherently cautious about drawing much from polling results until I know the size of the sampling, something about the actual form of the questions, who commissioned the poll, and the size of the results. There was enough information available in the article on all of those subjects, except the actual form of the questions. But when ABC and the Post commission the poll, that's a fairly trustworthy sponsor.

It will be very interesting to see the response to the poll and whether previous supporters of the decision back off from their support. What do you think?